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Credit Card Debt Essentials: How to Get Out of Debt and Secure Your Financial Future Sooner

These valuable credit card debt tips and insights could help you reach your financial goals faster.

The average American household carries $16,048 worth of interest-bearing credit card debt, which is perched around highs not seen since the Financial Crisis. Several factors underlie this trend, including the fact that expense growth has outpaced wage growth over the past decade, and Americans have a hard time sticking to a budget.

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We Fools always encourage smart use of credit card debt. Paying off high-interest debt is a vital investment in your eventual financial security.

But in some instances, taking on a manageable amount of credit card debt makes sense. There is such a thing as good debt.

Credit card debt essentials

We've compiled several essential credit card tips and insights in the following videos and articles. They cover topics including the best balance-transfer credit cards -- which can help cardholders cut their interest payments with a 0% introductory APR -- and the difference between good debt and bad debt. You'll find a wealth of helpful information to help you start paying off debt.